Do you suffer from chronic pain? If so, Pilates can help. Usually when you have pain and go see a doctor, they will prescribe painkillers. Some of these, such as opiates, can be harsh on your body and addictive to boot. However, researchers are starting to learn that Pilates can help manage pain long-term.
For example, the Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy found that Pilates can be effective for lower back pain. They ran a study that split lower back pain sufferers into two groups – those who did Pilates for four weeks and those who used other treatment methods. The Pilates group experienced greater relief from their symptoms which could indicate that it is better for long term care.
Pilates isn’t just good for people who have lower back pain. Other chronic pain sufferers, such as those with arthritis, can also benefit from doing these exercises. The reason for this is that Pilates builds strength in the muscles around your joints and also helps increase flexibility and range of motion. This is a winning prescription for arthritis and pain sufferers.
If you want to use Pilates for your aches and pains, it is important to make sure you are doing the movements correctly. For this, it may not be enough to use Pilates DVD. You may want to visit a class or get some one on one instruction through a certified Pilates trainer. You can find them by calling your local gym or Pilates studio.
Once you feel as if you have the movements down pat you can then use a DVD or instruction book to help you learn new movements and exercises and to introduce you to new routines. And as always, make sure you consult with your physician before you try anything new. Though Pilates is good for pain, your doctor may advise against it.
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Tags: Arthritis, Chronic pain, Pain, Pilates, pilates for arthritis, pilates for back pain, pilates for lower back pain, Pilates for pain